Big Apple is Watching Your iPhone, iPad via iBeacon/Bluetooth

Apple geniuses and store employees will not even have to greet, talk and have human contact with customers, because Apple has launched iBeacon is 254 stores on Friday. iBeacon i enables an iOS device or other hardware to send push notifications to iOS devices within close proximity using Bluetooth 4.0 Smart.

iBeacon locates iPhone, iPad and iPod shoppers via Bluetooth on their devices. Customers download the Apple store app and turn on Bluetooh and then iBeacon finds them when they are in the store.

iBeacon detects if the shopper is next to iPhone and sends a message to the customer asking if they are interested in an upgrade.

The app directs shoppers to check out counter and alerts them when an order is ready to be picked up.

Then when Apple Store app users are near a store they will get notifications of deals and other Apple Store promotions.

When you sign up for the App you you have to agree to allow Apple to track you before it will track you.

iBeacon will be deployed by Major League Baseball in the At the Ballpark app, sending special features, coupons and other deals.

iBeacon is built into new iPhones and iPads and iOS 7 therefore these devices can be used as iBeacon transmitters in store.

Some analysts contend that iBeacon coul be used as an NFC competitor. The system appears to not be deployed fully in Apple stores according to PC Magazine.